Airplane and helicopter sustained aircraft



May 3, 1949. H. T. AVERY 6 AIRPLANE AND HELICOPTER SUSTAINED AIRCRAFT 7 Filed Nov. 22,. 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet l FIE;J

nrrale/vkrs H. T. AVERY AIRPLANE AND HELICOPTER SUSTAINED AIRCRAFT Filed NOV. 22, 1943 May 3, 1949.

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Y [NVENTOR I Hora/a Z HI/erg FJZIEE E May 3, 1949.

AIRPLANE AND HELICOPTER SUSTAINED AIRCRAFT Filed Nov. 22, 1943 '3 Sheets-Shet 3 IE!!! lilil 45 Arne/vim;

H. T. AVERY I I 2,468,913

Patented May 3, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AIRPLANE AND HELICOPTER SUSTAINED AIRCRAFT 7 Claims.

The present invention relates to aircraft and more particularly to a novel type of aircraft capable of sustentation and/or vertical propulsion by rotating wings, or alternatively capable of sustentation by means of the character of fixed wings; and embodying an airscrew susceptible of employment either as a rotating wing means for sustentation and/or vertical propulsion, or as a forward propulsion means cooperating with fixed wings.

The cruising speed and efiiciency of modern fixed wing aircraft is limited by at least two important considerations; the necessity for providing wings larger than necessary to support the craft at cruising speeds in order to make it possible for the craft to take off and land at speeds substantially below cruising speeds, and the necessity for employing propelling airscrews of an effective diameter substantially less than would be ideal were it not for the physical limitations imposed by the mounting of an airscrew rotating in a vertical plane on such craft; it being evident that the radius of the airscrew cannot in any event exceed the vertical dimen- SiOn of the craft and must in most instances be substantially less than such vertical dimension.

In the ordinary airplane the wing area is determined primarily by take-off and landing conditions, for the wing area must be sufficient so that at a reasonable landing speed the maximum lift coefiicient of the wing airfoil will produce a lift at least equal to the weight of the craft. At cruising speed the wing operates at a good deal lower angle of attack so as to bring into effect a lift coefficient enough lower to produce the same lift at the very much higher speed involved. Since cruising preferably takes place at the angle of attack which produces maximum lift/drag ratio at which angle of attack the lift coefficient for a given airfoil bears a fixed ratio to the maximum lift coefficient of the airfoil, which determines landing speed, it follows that for, each airfoil the most economical cruising speed bears a fixed ratio to landing speed. Were it not for this limitation the most economical cruising speed could be made very much larger than is ordinarily the case, by providing very much smaller wings, for when operating at the angle of attack giving maximum lift/drag ratio the smaller wings would produce the same lift for the same drag as the larger wings, but would do so at very much higher speed.

One of the most important energy losses in connection with the ordinary propeller is that of the kinetic energy of the slipstream which loss is proportional to the mass per unit of time times the square of the velocity increment imparted to the stream by the airscrew. Since the thrust created is proportional to the same mass times the first power of this same velocity increment, it is evident that any given thrust can be more eificiently obtained by increasing the mass of air handled and cutting down the velocity increment required, or in other words by increasing the diameter of the airscrew. The physical limitations hereinbefore referred to usually prevent carrying this very far however.

On the other hand, the cruising speed of modern rotating wing aircraft is limited by other important considerations to speeds much lower than maximum fixed wing airplane speeds. It is well understood that the maximum forward speeds of autogyros, helicopters or helicogyros must be such that the maximum tip velocity of the advancing airfoil relative to the surrounding air will not substantially exceed the speed of sound, various theories having been advanced to account for the undesirable phenomena occurring at super-sonic airfoil speeds. This and other limiting considerations are such that the technical literature has not described any rotating wing aircraft capable of a speed exceeding approximately miles per hour, and it is not probable that speeds of the order of 300 miles per hour will ever be exceeded by such craft.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide an aircraft having the desirable take off, landing and hovering performance of the helicopter, but free from the speed limitations heretofore imposed upon such craft.

A further primary object of the invention is to provide an aircraft capable of sustentation by means of the character of fixed wings, in which craft the wing area may be ideally proportioned to attain maximum cruising speed and efficiency without reference to the take-off and/or landing speed of the craft,

A further important object of the invention is to make possible the employment in aircraft of the fixed wing type of propellers of any desired efi'ective diameter without reference to the vertical dimensions of the craft.

In general terms, the foregoing objects are accomplished, according to the present invention, by the employment of a power driven. airscrew which is susceptible of adjustment with respect to the craft from a take-off, hovering and landing attitude, in which the principal component of thrust exerted by it upon the craft is substantially vertical, to a cruising attitude, in which the principle component of thrust exerted by it upon the craft is more nearly horizontal than vertical, and by utilizing wings or the like as the principal or even the sole source of lift when the airscrew is disposed in its cruising attitude. Economical cruising speed is made very much higher than in conventional airplanes by employing very much smaller wings capable of supporting the craft only at speeds very much higher than any speeds desirable for take-off or landing.

For the purpose of providing a practical embodiment of a craft of this character, further and more specific objects of the invention: are to make it possible to change the pitch of the ,air-

screw blades either cyclically or simultaneously by control means disposed within'the-craft and not affected by adjustment of theairscrew as a whole between its two attitudes above described, and also to make it possible to automatically coordinate adjustment of the angle of incidence of the wings with the changesin the attitude of the airscrew above described.

The foregoing together with other objects and advantages of the-invention will be best under- -stood from the following description of an aircraft embodying the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a right side view'of a craft embody- .ing my invention;

. Figure 2 is a plan view of the same craft;

Figure 3 is a front elevationof the same craft; Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure l, but with the outer shell of the craft broken away suffienlarged scale the hub of the airscrew with which my craft is equipped and the supporting, adjust- -ing, controlling, and driving mechanisms therefor;

, Figure 6 is a partial plan view taken on section line 6--6 of Figure Figure 7 is a partial plan view of the structure for supporting the wings and for controlling the ailerons thereon;

Figure 8 is adiagram relating to control movements applied in the vicinity of the rotor hub; and

Figure 9 is a similardiagram relating to the corresponding control movements in the vicinity of the control stick.

As illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 the craft of the present invention comprises a fuselage I6, an airscrew l I, preferably of the articulated blade type as is generally well known .in the: lifting rotors of rotating wing aircraft, andtwo semi-wings l2. As indicated in Figure 1 the airscrew H is tiltable from the position shown in solid lines forward to the position Ila shown in dotted lines, and the semi-wings 12 are preferably adjustable in incidence from the solid line position to the dotted line position I211.

The present craft is equipped with a prime mover, power transmission mechanism and rotor torque counterbalancing, and control mechanism generally similar to any selected one of the var ious forms of such mechanism disclosed in my -copending applications Serial Number 402,283,

filed July 14, 1941, now Pat-No. 2,3'69,'652,"Feb.

20, 1945 and Serial Number 439,963, new .abandoned, filed April 22, 1942, while the airscrew-and its blade adjusting mechanism may be generally similar (except for certain detailed differences herein fully disclosed) to the airscrew and corresponding mechanism disclosed in my copendin'g 4 application Serial Number 505,636, filed October 9, 1943.

As disclosed in the copending applications referred to, the engine (not shown in the accompanying drawings) is fixed in the fuselage l0 and through a manually controlled clutch and a free-wheeling clutch (not shown) normally drives during flight a power transmission shaft l5 (Figure 4) which 'ashereinafter described drives the airscrew l I. The engine alsoconstantly rotates during its operation a power shaft is which leads to a reverse clutch box 11 which houses a reverse 'clutch,lcapable of clutching the driving shaft i6 tadriven mechanism hereinafter described for the purpose of selectively driving said mechanism in either of two opposite directions; said shaft l6, being normally declutched from such mechanism. The reverse clutch may be of any well known type capable of performing as described under the control of control rod 18 leading from the pilotscompartmentto the reverse cluch box l'l. Control rod l8 may be normally centered and capable of being rocked by the pilot either way from its centered position to effect engagement of the reverse clutch for a direction of operation corresponding to the direction of rock. The mechanism driven by the'reverse clutch in box l-l includes a shaftlflintegral with worm 2| which meshes with Worm segment 22 integral with airscrew yoke 23 (Figures 4 and 5), whereby rotation of shaft 28in one direction or the other will serve to angularlyldisplace theentire airscrew including its hub and. related structure about transverse pivot pins 24.

The mechanism driven by the reverse clutch in box I! may also-include shaft 25 (Figure 4), which through bevel gears 26 drives -shaft 21-integral with worm 28, meshing with worm segment 29 integral withl tube' 3E! which tube is also integral with the twosernii-wings l2, and is rockable in bearings 3| afixed in the fuselage (see Figure 3). The gear ratios and worm pitches are preferably such that tube 30 is rotated through much less of anangle than is the airscrew yoke 23 in accordance with the smaller-angular displacement indicated between the solid and dotted line positions for these'mi-wings i2 as compared with that indicated for the airscrew H in Figure 1. Alternatively separate'reverse clutches and separate controls may be provided for rocking airscrew yoke 23 and tube 30. many case alimit stop operated by theirocked member may be-provided to disengage the-clutch when the desired maximumlimit of angular rock has been reached, and indicator mechanism may be provided to inclicate to the pilot the current degree of the angular rock, all as well known in the art in connection with thepower rocking or traversing of various kinds of mechanisms.

Semi-wings l2 are preferably provided "with ailerons 35, differentially rockable inthe manner well known in the artthrough the application of a rearward pull on either cord136 or cord 31 '(Figures 2 and '7) Cords36 and 31 are led to'the left and rightailerons-respectively bypassingit that cord 36 and cord 31 in passing from pulley 38 to pulley 46 extend along the center line of tube 38, and by providing a large enough opening in the rear face of tube 30 so that frame member 39 and pulleys 38 do not interfere with the tube in any rocked position thereof, the aileron control may be carried from control members in the fuselage to the ailerons mounted on the semiwings which are angularly displaceable relative to the fuselage, without the displacement of the ailerons relative to the wings being in any way affected by the displacement of the wings relative to the fuselage, and without any interruption of control of the ailerons from within the fuselage on account of wing displacement.

The construction of the mechanisms for supporting, adjusting, and driving the airscrew is shown in Figures 4, 5, and 6. As in the copending application Serial Number 505,636, previously referred to the airscrew is driven by rotating a shaft 33, integral with which is a hub 34 to which the airscrew blades are hinged. In the present craft the shaft 33 is rotatably supported in a yoke member 23 and, at its lower end, is integral with internal gear I88 which is driven by one or more planetary pinions If each pivotally mounted on a stud I82 integral with a plate I83 which is fixedly attached to the yoke member 23. Pinions I5! are in turn driven by a sun gear I534 integral with a separate shaft I85 which is the driven shaft of a universal joint I86 of which the power driven shaft 55, previously described, is the driving shaft. Universal joint I86 may be of any well known type but is preferably one designed to produce angular advance of the driven member always equal to that of the driving member. By disposing shaft l5 (as indicated in Figure 4) so that it slants forward from the vertical at an angular inclination approximately midway between the angular positions that shaft 33 is capable of assuming at the extreme limits of the angular tilting range of airscrew I I, the maximum angle through which the universal joint I86 must be deflected from a straight alignment of driving and driven shafts is minimized. By arranging the gear reduction from gear I84 to gear I58 on the side of the universal joint I 66 remote from the prime mover, the torque loads on universal joint I06 and on shafts l5 and 455 are minimized.

To provide for angular displacement of the axis of the airscrew I I, the yoke member 23 which supports the shaft 33 has extending downwardly from the main upper portion thereof two arms Ill), arranged to pivotally fit over two pins 24 carried by arms ill of a fuselage frame member I I2 as shown in Figure 5. The universal joint I86 is centered on the axis of pins 24. The rocking of yoke 25, and with it the rocking of the entire airscrew II, on pivot pins 24 is accomplished through power drive applied to segment 22 which is integral with yoke 23 as indicated in Figures 4 and 6.

As set forth in copending application Serial Number 505,636 the pitch of the blades of the airscrew l I is adjusted by the movement of links 52 (Figure 5) in a direction essentially parallel to shaft 33, there being one link 52 for each blade, the moving of which upward as viewed in Figure 5 increases the pitch of the blade while moving downward decreases it. Each link 52 is connected by a ball and socket joint 55 to a common control plate 53 integral with a cylindrical frame 88 which through mutually perpendicular pins 82 and 84 is supported by but universally rockable 6 relative to a sleeve 8I vertically slidable upon shaft 33. By raising sleeve 8| all of the links 52 will be simultaneously raised and the pitch of all blades increased, and vice versa.

The raising and lowering of sleeve 8| to exercise such control is accomplished through a bell crank 86 pivotally mounted on a stud 81 carried by the yoke 23. The inner end of the upper arm of the bell crank 86 forms a yoke supporting pins which engage in an external groove on the outer race 89 of a ball bearing, the inner race 98 of which is integral with the sleeve 8| The lower end of the lower arm of bell crank 86 also forms a yoke supporting pins II5 which engage in a circumferential groove l I6 of a short sleeve I I! laterally slidable on a tube H8 concentric with the pin 24 and fixed to or integral with the yoke 23. The lateral position of sleeve Ill and consequently the rocked position of bell crank 86 and the average blade pitch is determined by a lever I28 the upper end of which terminates in a yoke supporting pins I2I which engage in a second circumferential groove I22 in sleeve II1.

As more fully described in copending application Serial Number 505,636, cyclic control of blade pitch (which is utilized to control and effect horizontal displacements of the craft when the airscrew is operating in its helicopter attitude) is effected by appropriate tilting of the cylindrical frame 88 to which the plate 53 carrying the links 52 is integrally assembled. This tilting may take place in any direction about the center of universal support of frame 88 which is located at the intersection of the axes of pins 82 and 84, and is effected and controlled by applying appropriate displacements to the outer race 94 of a ball bearing, the inner race of which is integral with frame 88. In order to prevent rotation of the race 94 with the airscrew an arm I25 is provided which is integral with the race and includes an outer portion extending radially outward from, the universal pivotal center of frame 88 at a height normally about the same as that of the pivotal center. This outer portion of arm I25 is guided in fork I26 integral with the yoke 23 (see also Figure 4).

Also integral with race 94 is an arm I30 (Figure 4), which extends downwardly and passes freely through a mating hole in a ball I3I (Figure 6) freely supported in a mating socket on a plate I32 slidably guided in a forked opening I33 in a bell crank I34 pivotally mounted at I35 on an arm I36 integral with the yoke 23. As illustratedin Figure 5 a third arm I40 is also integral with race 94 and extends radially out therefrom at a point 90 from arm I36. An arm I4I is pivotally attached to the outer end of arm I46 so as to be freely displaceable about the longitudinal axis of the arm I48 but not otherwise displaceable relative thereto. Arm I4I extends freely through a mating hole in a ball I42 fitting freely in a normally vertical hole in a pin I43 longitudinally slidable in the tube I I 8 previously described. The sliding of this pin within the tube. H8 is effected and controlled through a lever I44 terminating upwardly in a yoke supporting two pins I45 which rest in a circumferential groove I46 in the outer end of the pin (see also Figure 6). In order that tube II8 will not interfere with the movements of arm I4I large slots I48 are provided in the top and bottom faces of the tube I I8. This arrangement is such that in and out movement of pin I43, effected by control lever I44, will cause a lateral tilting of cylinder on its universal pivot, for the guidance supplied by forks I26 and I33 will eased-"s 7 prevearbther than an" essentially l'ateraltilting, 'cep't in response to therockingof'beH crank I34. "However,'- regardless ofwhether or notany lateral tiltin'gds present tilting in anessentially longitudinal direction maybe "effected by the rockingof the bell crank I34 Since for'any given iositior'rof lever I44 and-pin I43, arm I25 will be f he'ld in "substantially afixed location in forkI26, displacement of bell crank i3 3 will rock frafrie80 about'an'axis passing through the center of arm 'I25" at its current location'in fork I26 and through the universal pivotal center of frame 80',which "constitutes essentially a transverse axis. The rocking of bell crank I34 to efiect'rocking about isucl'i an axis is eifected and controlled by' the *sliding of a sleeve I 50 one. tube I5 I' corresponding to the "previously described opposite tube I I8. The sliding of the sleeve I50 iscontrolled by a lever L152 which terminates upwardly in a yoke supportihgtwo pins: I53 which rest in a circumferential groove'I54 in the sleeveI5Il, while pins I55 inte'gral with the bell crank" I34 rest in another circumferential groove I55 in said sleeve.

Tilting ofthe control-plate 53, in any desired direction, can of course be brought about by introducingthe appropriate components of tilt in the two mutually perpendicular I directions controlledby levers IMand I52. Cyclic pitch change cin rotating wing aircraft rotors is usually effected by a universally movable control stick-connected -.with'i one set of-linkages operable by lateral distplacement of the stick and to' another set operable by longitudinal displacement thereof, which linkagesware so connected tothe pitch control *mechanismthat the operation of the former set results in changes of the fiapping'angles of the 'blades'i-n su'ch amanner as to constitute a lateral tilt of the effective plane of rotation of the rotor, a'nd that the operation 'of the latter set results in :changes of the flapping'angles of the blades so :arranged as to constitute a longitudinal tilt thereof. 'In-the'present instance it may not prove -feas'lble to connect two such sets'of linkages di- *r'ectly to the respective control levers I44 and I52, for the direction of tilt of the control p1ate'53 re- 'quir'ed to produce'flapping angle changes constituting' lateral and longitudinal rotor tilts; respectivelyg'may-be at'odd angles to the main axes of "-the' craft'. 'Insomeembodiments -it may prove 'fasible to so'locate links 52 that the direction of tilt ofplat'e'53 will coincide with or depart by an eve'rr'niu'ltiple 'of 90 from the related direction of tilt ofthe rotor in which case connecting the customary control'stick linkages directly to levers "I wane I'52' will provide suitable control, but'such relationship is not necessary for by mounting the "two sets crflinkages at their points of connection tothe control stick at'such an angle to the center "line of the'craft that "they will respond respec- "tively-to' controlstick movements in twomutually "perpendicular directions displaced through the same angle relative to craft centerline' as the 'anglesubtended-between the direction 'of tilt of plate'53 and the resultant directionof effective tilt hr -the*rotor,"the tilt of plate 53 -may bernade to take place in such a direction thatthe resulting effective tilt of the rotorwill be in the same direction-Qlsthatbt the control stick.

For"instancegreferrmg toFigure 8 therotor "construction may be such that plate 53 has to be tilted in'tl'ie'direction P to produce an effective *rotor tilt an the direction R'adv'anc'ed through the a'n'gl e fromthe direction P.""-Then'- the membei E I n reasure s) which -adapted "to re- *cei've and-transmit e-ontroriaqvement orthecontrol stick I' I5 in the *direction I 1='- (which may in "the case ofthe ordinary air-plane control stick coincide- 'withthe forward-'-"centerline C of the craft) is placed at the angle "A to such centerline, so that actual movement'of the control stick in the direction C will produce the same responses of the respective control linkages that would in thecase of the ordinary airplane arrangement- (in which the linkage center line' F coincides with craft center'line C) be produced by displacement of the control stick in the'direction D, leading direction C by the angle A. Withsuch an orientation of the control linkage relative to the-control stick, the movements'oflinkage"F and the "linkage responsive to control stickmovement perpendicular to direction F may be carried respectively to levers I52 and I44;'and plate 53 will be tilted in such a direction as to produce "effective rotor tilt in a direction corresponding to the displacement of control stick I15.

In other words, the member II'I' (which corresponds to one of the two coordinate control members which are responsive to mutually perpendicular movements of the control stick in the control arrangements well known in airplanes) is so disposed relative to the control stick I15 as to be responsive to the component ofthe movement of the control stick in the direction F, which is the direction of response of the rotor system to tilt of the control plate53 inthe direction C, longitudinal ofthe craft and the direction in which'm'e niber -I52"'(one of the two cyclic control members) is adapted to tilt the plate 53;" MemberIM (the other of the two "cyclic""control' members) is adapted to tilt the plate 53" transversely of the craft and to thereby produce a rotor 'response'in a direction perpendicular to F (Fig. 9) Then by having member I44 connected'to the other coordinate control member, which is responsive to movement of the control stick I15 in a direction perpendicular to F, the response of the rotor will always be in the direction of movement of thecontrol stick.

In order to provide an'outsi'de covering for the tiltable part of the rotor 'that'will properly join the covering of the maincraft in' all tilted positions thereof the portions of the-rotor covering which comes in the vicinityof themain'covering should be in the form of a surface of revolution "about the axis'of pins 24. In the present instance it is illustrated as'bein'g in the'formof a'sphere H9 having as its center the point where'th'eaxis 'of'pins 2 3' intersects the axis of rotorshaft' 33.

This spherical covering ei'itends 'dow'n far enough to join the covering of the fus'elag'e'l Il at-all'ti'mes,

but has a 'sufficiently"largeopeningthrough'the bottom portion of the sphere to 'admitthe' frame and drive members in all tilted positions of" the rotor.

With a'craftcon'structed as outlined above the power driven rotor II adjusted in the solidline positions of Figure 1 may be used for supporting the craft during take-off, landing, hovering, vertical climb or' descent, and very"slow"horizontal travel, all aswell known in helicopters and as 'described inthe various copending applications ward-toward' the position indicated bydotted lines Ha in-"Figure 1; which will result in a tilting forward of the craft until under normal cruising conditions the line joining the center of airscrew II with the horizontal tail surfaces lies approximately horizontal. This amount'of tilt added to the angle through which the rotor is displaceable relative to the craft brings the axis of the airscrew almost parallel with the direction of advance of the craft. During this tilting the Wing is gradually tilted upward relative to the craft both to compensate for the tilting of the craft, and to bring'the wing to an angle of incidence at which it may most effectively assume substantially the entire lift of the craft. The fact that this lift is acting on a line forward of the center of gravity of the craft prevents the thrust of the airscrew from producing excessive tilt of the craft.

In order to realize the full speed advantages that this arrangement makes possible the wings should be kept down to an area capable of supporting the craft only at a minimum speed and/ or maximum wing loading much higher than the speeds and wing loadings ordinarily acceptable for take-off and landing. -The distinctive speed advantages of the craft actually commence to be outstanding at wing areas corresponding to minimum sustentation speeds commencing at approximately the maximum of present take-off speeds, for instance at minimum sustentation speeds of at least 100 miles per hour, but the minimum sustenation speeds need not be limited to speeds of this approximate amount, but may be increased by any amount that the craft design, as particularly dictated by the power per unit of weight, may permit. In my craft it is therefore possible to take off and land at zero speeds and still it is possible to cruise at speeds which in the ordinary airplane could only be obtained by accepting take-01f and landing speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour. Likewise the load per unit of wing area may be calculated without reference to landing and take-off conditions in designing the Wings l2, it being possible to accept any wing loading which is sustainable at cruising speed.

A further advantage that my craft presents as compared with the ordinary airplane is that of providing a very much larger effective propeller diameter. The present invention makes it possible to utilize for propulsion of an airplane an immensely larger airscrew than could possibly be considered, were it not for the novel manner of raising the airscr'ew out of its propulsion position during take-off and landing, and therefore exceptional propeller efficiency becomes obtainable when the large airscrew is operating in its cruising attitude.

I claim:

1. In an aircraft the combination of a rotor adapted to sustain the craft in vertical flight, said rotor comprising a power driven shaft and a plurality of blades attached thereto in a manner permitting alteration of blade pitch, wings adapted to sustain the craft in other than vertical flight, means for altering the relative proportions of craft load carried by the rotor and by the wings comprising mechanism for displacing the shaft of the rotor about an axis extending generally transversely of the craft, means uniformly operable in all displaced positions of the rotor shaft for selectively adjusting the pitch of said blades comprising mechanism including a member movable along the axis about which displacement of the rotor shaft takes place, for simultaneously varying the pitch of all of said blades and mechanism including a second member independently movable along said axis for cyclically varying the of said blades.

2. In an aircraft the combination of a rotor adapted to sustain the craft in vertical flight, said rotor comprising a power driven shaft and a plurality of blades attached thereto in a manner permitting alteration of blade pitch, wings adapted to sustain the craft in other than vertical flight, means for altering the relative proportions of craft load carried by the rotor and by the wings comprising mechanism for displacing the shaft of the rotor aboutan axis extending generally transversely of the craft, means uniformly operable in all displaced positions of the rotor shaft for cyclically varying the pitch of each of said blades and thereby altering the direction of the resultant force of said blades on said craft, said means com prising a transmission member displaceable about an axis and adapted thereby to produce a cyclic variation of pitchproducing a shift in said resultant force in a direction making a fixed angle with respect to said last mentioned axis, a manually displaceable member, an intermediate control member so disposed as to be moved in response to the component of movement of said manually displaceable member in the said direction with respect to the axis with respect to which such cyclic variation of pitch is eifected, a control member rockableabout an axis disposed at an angle equal to said predetermined fixed angle, and means actuated by said control member for actuating said transmission member.

3. In an aircraft the combination of a rotor adapted to sustain the craft in vertical flight, said rotor comprising a power driven shaft and a plurality of blades attached thereto in a manner permitting alteration of blade pitch, wings adapted to sustain the craft in other than vertical flight, means for altering the relative proportions of craft load carried by the rotor and by the wings comprising mechanism for angularly displacing the shaft of the rotor relative to the craft in a plane substantially longitudinal of the craft, and means uniformly operable in all displaced positions of the rotor shaft for selectively adjusting the pitch of the blades; said pitch adjusting means comprising means for simultaneously altering pitch similarly on all blades and independently operable means for cyclically varying pitch differentially on the respective blades.

4. In an aircraft the combination of a rotor adapted to sustain the craft in vertical flight, said rotor comprising a power driven shaft and a plurality of blades attached thereto in a manner permitting alteration of blade pitch, wings adapted to sustain the craft in other than vertical flight, means for altering the relative proportions of craft load carried by the rotor and by the wings comprising mechanism for displacing the shaft of the rotor about a pivotal mounting extending generall transversely of the craft, means uniformly operable in all displaced positions of the rotor shaft for selectively adjusting the pitch of said blades comprising mechanism including a first member mounted co-axially with said pivotal pitch of each mounting for simultaneously varying the pitch of all of said blades and a second member also mounted co-axially with said pivotal mounting and movable independently of said first member for cyclically varying the pitch of each of said blades.

5. The invention defined in claim 4 in combination with a third member also mounted co-axially with said pivotal mounting and movable independently of said first and second members for 1 1 cyclicallywaryi-ngthei=pitch ofzea'eh0f=said b12tdes in a cyclic pattern differing from thateharacter: istic a of the:= cyclic E variation sproduced-= by; said second-amemben 6. Inian .aircraft'the combinationof-aneainscrew' adapted -;to'=-sustai-n the. craft in vertical flight, means for angularly displacing the roi'aiaional axis of: the 'ai-rscrew relative to the craft in aplane substantially: longitudinal of the crait through a' range of positions including avertical-flight posi-. tionrin-which-said axis is substantially perpendiom larwtothe long-itudinah axis of the craftfwings adapted tosustain-the craftin other thanvertieal flight, meansfor-angularly displacing the wings relative -130 the craft, and a-connection between said two displacing meansfor causing-the respective angular dis-placements -oithe airscrewand. the-wings relative-tothe craftrto takeplace simultaneouslyarrd-to be respectively opposite in directiomand ndifferent-in angularamounts.

7. I-n--anaircraft the combination of'asusta-ini-ng rotoncomprising a power driven-shaft=- and; a plurality of---blades--attachedthereto in a manner permitting'valteration- 0f bladevpitch; mechanism for idisplacingl the shaft-of the rotor about'an axis extending generally transverselyof "thecpaft, adjustment means-co-axial with isaid-axisefor cyclically varying theipitchef each of saidv blades, said; means comprisingi twomembers, one selectively: displaceable relative tothe craft-andrthe other correspondinglydisplaceable relative to the REFEaENeEs CITED T-lie :following refernees are' of"'recoid in" the file Of "this patent-2 1 STATES PATENTS, 

